Appendicitis
by Johanna-002
Summary: Joseph needs surgery; Clarisse isn't leaving his side- just a bit of anesthetic fluff between our Queen and her Knight and Shinning Armour. One-Shot! Fluff! Complete! Read and Review!


**Title: **Appendicitis

**Summary: **Joseph needs surgery; Clarisse isn't leaving his side- just a bit of anesthetic fluff between our Queen and her Knight and Shinning Armour.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Princess Diaries or Princess Diaries 2: Royal engagement or any of its characters; they belong Meg Cabot. I do however own my writing, please don't steal- Johanna002©

**_Read, Review, Subscribe, Add to Favs_**

-01-

Clarisse Renaldi was running later for parliament than normal, and she swore at everything under the sun. Yesterday Amelia had informed her that she would not be coming to Genovia for spring break and she had been in a foul mood since then. She trudged into her office hoping to find the outline of a trade agreement with China; she was also expecting to see Joseph waiting for her. He was always waiting for her; she was surprised when she saw no sign of him.

"Are you ready for departure Your Majesty?" Charlotte asked, appearing suddenly at the door.

"Joseph isn't here yet."

"He called in early this morning." She held her clipboard down at her side. "He said he wasn't feeling well."

Clarisse's brow furrowed. Joseph never called in, even when he was sick. Something had to be seriously wrong. "Can I have a moment longer? I would like to go and see him."

Charlotte's widened in horror. "Your Majesty you are already very late." She stopped talking at the harsh glare from her Queen. "But, sure, I'm positive we can delay for a few moments longer…" She knew Clarisse well enough to know that she wouldn't work very productively knowing Joseph was at home sick.

"Thank you, Charlotte." She hurried back out of her office and hastened towards Joseph room- down the halls and around a few corners…

There had to be something seriously wrong with Joseph! The man _never _called in. Whatever it was, it _must_ be bad.

Finally she arrived, "Joseph?" She knocked loudly on his door. When Joseph hadn't responded she let herself in.

Joseph heard the door open, but didn't call out. He leaned his head over the toilet and emptied the contest of his stomach into it. "Ugh," he groaned.

"Joseph?" She closed the door behind her self and looked around the suite. She heard a noise come from down the hall a few feet away, and she hurried toward it. "Joseph?"

"In here," he called softly. He began to heave again. His stomach hurt like hell. He heard Clarisse's frantic footsteps in the hallway.

She finally found him hunched over the toilet, and she let out a soft sigh. "Are you okay?" She grabbed a folded up cloth on the counter and turned on the cold water.

"Just a stomach bug," he said weakly.

She wrung the cloth out, then knelt down behind Joseph and held the cool cloth to his forehead.

Joseph closed his eyes at the cool sensation. "I'll be fine."

She gently placed the back of her hand against his cheek. "You have a fever."

Joseph groaned slightly and clutched his stomach in pain.

Her brow furrowed. "Where does it hurt, Joseph?" Her voice was gentle and soothing.

"It's okay," he said through gritted teeth, his eyes closed tightly.

She had a sneaking suspicion, and she placed her hand over the lower right side of his abdomen. "Right there?"

Joseph winced in pain and nodded slowly.

"Okay, you're going to the hospital." She slipped her arm around his waist and helped him stand. "Just lean on me..."

Joseph groaned as he rose unsteadily. He leaned heavily on Clarisse, clutching her arm as if it were a lifeline.

She held him securely, secretly relishing the close proximity. "Here we go..." She led him out of the bathroom, and helped him towards his bedroom, carefully seating him on the edge of the bed. She reached for the radio on his night stand, and as Joseph had taught her many moons ago, called for assistance. With in a minute both Scott and Dex reached his room. They helped him out of the Palace, and opened the front door of a palace vehicle; they helped him into the passenger's seat.

"It's going to be okay, boss." Scott reassured as he helped buckle in the older gentlemen. Clarisse ran down from the palace steps, after already speaking with Charlotte and informing the young lady that her meetings for the rest of the day would have to be canceled and rescheduled. She was not going to leave Joseph. Dex helped her into the back of the car.

Joseph leaned against the seat. He closed his eyes and moaned softly. "Oww."

"I know," Clarisse soothed; she wasn't buckled but leaning foreword in her seat, rubbing her hand reassuringly over his face. "We'll be at the hospital in a moment's time."

Joseph barely noticed the car ride due to the searing pain in his abdomen. "Oh shit this hurts," he whispered.

Clarisse offered her hand, and he gladly took it. "It's going to be okay." She soothed.

As soon as they got to the hospital, Scott jumped out of the car and hurried to Joe's side, throwing the door open, he also opened Clarisse's but she was out of the car before he could offer assistance.

"We're here, Joseph." Clarisse soothed, pushing by Scott so she could unbuckle Joe's seatbelt; together Queen and Guard helped Joe into the hospital; they didn't want to run the risk of him collapsing before they got inside.

The burning pain continued to tear through his abdomen. "Shit…"

"Shh..." She walked into the ER and up to the front desk. "I think my HOS has appendicitis," she told the nurse as calmly as she could.

Joseph's head was spinning. "I'm dizzy," he mumbled.

She softly shushed him as the nurse placed a clipboard in front of her. "I need you to fill this out." She motioned for a wheelchair to be brought over.

Clarisse hesitated, and Scott helped Joe into the chair. Then he grabbed the clipboard and Clarisse followed the nurse as she wheeled Joseph away. "I'm going with him."

"Your Majesty..."

She glared at the nurse. Normally she was very understanding about these kinds of thing, but not when it came to Joseph, not when it came down to losing him.

Joseph was wheeled into an exam room and helped onto the bed, and Clarisse stayed by his head as a doctor looked him over. "He's been vomiting, running a fever, and he's complaining of pain in the right side of his abdomen."

The doctor nodded as he lifted Joseph's shirt and gently pressed against his inflamed appendix. "Does that hurt?"

Joseph flinched. "Yes," he whimpered. Clarisse felt her heart break at his whimper and reached for his hand, Joseph clung to it.

Clarisse stroked his hand with her thumb, murmuring soothingly to him.

The doctor pulled down his shirt. "His appendix is definitely inflamed. There's a risk of it rupturing, so I want to get him into surgery right away."

Clarisse nodded. She had gone through this same procedure herself, in fact, Joseph was the one who had taken her.

The doctor smiled at Joseph. "I'll be right back, and we'll get you prepped for surgery." He left the exam room.

Clarisse let out a heavy breath and squeezed Joseph's hand.

"Surgery?" Joseph whispered.

She gently brushed her hand against his cheek. "So they can get your appendix out, my love. I went through this exact thing many years ago. Don't you remember?" She gently stroked his cheek with her thumb. "It's short, and you'll be out of here in two or three days."

Joseph didn't let go of his Queen's hand hand. "I have to spend two or three days _here_?"

She let out a soft chuckle. "Yes. Then you'll be home for a few days, maybe a week, before you can go back to work."

Joseph groaned softly and laid a hand over his abdomen.

"I'd rather get this done and go home."

"You will." She hesitated. "Joe..."

The doctor came back into the exam room with several orderlies and a wheelchair. "Okay, Mr. Elizondo. Are you ready?"

Joseph looked into Clarisse's eyes for reassurance, when he was reassured of that he saw a twinkle of love flash in her I eyes.. "I guess," he mumbled.

The orderlies helped Joseph into the chair, and Clarisse hurried to his side, taking his hand again. "You're going to be fine, Joseph."'

Joseph forced a smile, but it was chased away by the pained wince that followed. "See you," he whispered.

She leaned over and pressed her lips against his temple. "I'll be waiting for you."

Joseph was startled at the gentle kiss, but was silent other than a few pained groans as the orderlies took him back.

She made her way back to the waiting area and sat down with a weary sigh. "I didn't realize you were still present."

Scott took off his sunglasses. "Joseph is having surgery; he would kill me if I left you alone. In fact, he still may kill me as I'm the only guard here!"

Clarisse nodded. "Oh, yes, I hadn't thought about that."

Scott leaned against the wall, not speaking. He was worried about Joseph, even though an appendectomy was a more routine surgery.

The Queen and second in command only spoke every so often. This was why Clarisse felt so alone. Only Joseph ever spoke to her as a human being. Everyone else was simply too uncomfortable for words in her presence.

That evening, Joseph's doctor finally walked into the waiting room, and both Queen and Personal approached him "Are you all both here for Joseph Elizondo?"

"Yes," they chorused.

He realized he was speaking to his Queen face-to-face. "Mr. Elizondo is going to be just fine. His appendix was inflamed, and it would have been very problematic had he gotten here any later." He looked at his clipboard. "Your majesty, would you like to see him?"

"Please!"

He smiled at the concern clearly etched in her voice. "Good. He's been asking for you. Come with me."

He led Clarisse upstairs. "The anesthesia hasn't quite worn off yet, so he might be a little out of it until tomorrow."

Clarisse nodded. She was just happy that she would see him.

The doctor stopped in front of Joseph's door, and Clarisse didn't wait. She went straight into the room. "Joseph?"

"Clarisse!" he gasped.

She rushed over to him, thinking something was wrong. "Are you okay?" she looked him over.

"I'm fine," he said.

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Good." Absently she touched his arm before sitting in the chair by his bed.

Joseph smiled slightly. "I've been waiting for you."

"I know. I came as soon as they let me," She said apologetically.

"Can I go home?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry my dear, but not tonight."

Joseph frowned. "I have to."

She noticed the urgent expression on his face, and she humored him. "Why?" Clarisse half expected her lover to say something in terms of _"So I can be with you…"_

"I left the kitchen lights on," Joseph said, very seriously.

She smiled. "I'll have Scott call and ask Dex to cut them off."

"No," he said.

"Why not?"

"His shoes may be dirty. He'll track mud!" Joseph rolled his eyes as if it were obvious.

"Oh. I'll tell him to take his shoes off."

"What if his socks make him slip and he sues me?"

She studied him intently. "Do you want me to do it?"

Joseph shook her head fiercely. "No. You're staying here."

She chuckled. "Then try not to worry about your lights, Joseph."

"But my bill will go up," he whined. He stuck her bottom lip out.

The face he made made her chuckle. "I'll pay the difference."

"You will?" Joseph asked innocently.

"Of course." She gave her a reassuring grin.

"Then in that case it's really going go up."

She laughed again. "You're not in any pain, are you, Joseph?"

He smiled. "No."

"Excellent." She leaned forward and gently tucked the hospital-issued blanket tighter around his waist, careful to avoid his side.

"Don't make me get stuck," he warned.

"I would never let anything happened to you, Joseph."

"You promise?"

She met his eyes. "I promise."

Clarisse leaned forward and pressed a soft and gently kiss to his lips. "I love you, sweetheart." She whispered so softly that Joseph could barley make out what she had said.

"I love you too." He whispered in return, before the lingering affects of anesthesia finally lulled him back to sleep.

**Author's Note: **Please Review: Good, Bad, Constructive. Hehehehe, so fluffy; But I figured you readers would enjoy the fluff!


End file.
